Why the Arabs Are Weaker Than Ever

Opinion Journal ^ | April 3 2002 | James Taranto

[scratchgolfer]

Arab states don't have the option of cutting off oil supplies to support the Palestinians in their conflict with Israel, because doing so would cut off oil revenue needed to fund any resistance, Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal said Tuesday in an interview with the French newspaper Le Monde.

[Fpimentel]

What happens to the Arabs when the oil they are sitting on
runs out in about 30 to 40 years?

[Cicero]

That's an odd bit about "right-wing voices" calling for oil independence. Sure, maybe the layabout Saudi princes are more dependent than we are, but we still shouldn't be shipping them hundreds of billions of dollars a year for their oil when we could be using more of that money at home for other purposes. It's not good policy to rely on others for basic necessities.

[Ancesthntr]

What happens to the Arabs when the oil they are sitting on runs out in about 30 to 40 years?

They revert to their former status as lords of the empty, worthless desert.

[Ancesthntr]

When the Israeli's crossed the Suez in 73 they could have captured Cairo.

Do you remember the name of the general who engineered that crossing, and personally took part in it? Hint: his name rhymes with Ariel Sharon.

They could have driven into Damascus as well. Only Soviet pressure on America prevented it.

That didn't keep the Israelis from letting the Egyptian 3rd Army get a great suntan and lose weight on the "don't eat a thing for 2 weeks" diet. Note that the 3rd Army was the one pinned down by Sharon's brilliant and daring move.

I'll bet that the Arabs contemplating war with Sharon-led Israel have severe cases of insomnia and the $hit$.

[GISax]

What happens to the Arabs when the oil they are sitting on runs out in about 30 to 40 years?

I hope they remember how to herd camels

--Ear Assault!

[McGavin999]

What happens to the Arabs in a couple of years when the Russian oil infrastructure is in place and the US starts buying the majority of their oil from Russia?

We would far and away prefer to be dealing with the Russians. Given the lack of loyalty and gratitude of the Arabian countries we have no reason to continue dealing with them. They've shown their true colors during this war on terrorism. I listened to a Kuwaiti on TV last night condemn the US for taking the side of the Israelis. Gee, when they were being plundered, their women raped, their oil fields set on fire, they sure did like us. The guy had the nerve to call us "arrogant". Well, how arrogant does he think he and his people are for expecting the US to spill it's blood for them and then have them turn their backs on us?

I don't think there is a lower human trait then lack of gratitude.

[JAWs]

And realize they've flushed the decades worth of prosperity down the toilet for their futile war.

[truth_seeker]

Much has changed, since 1973 and 1979. In those days, Saudi Arabia was in a government net surplus position. Today, with above 25 percent unemployment, the government is also in a net deficit position.

So inept management have placed SA in a position, to think twice about turning off the oil spigot, even to us 'infidels.'

Back in those earlier times, articles spoke of the great which the oil wealth could do, to prepare for a post-oil era. Instead, they have funded terrorism, their citizens are unemployed, they still import both high-tech. and menial labor. I guess the kids they sent here for university training in government, business, economics, were instead casing the joint, for air-terrorism.

Let them eat sand.

[VOA]

bump

[usconservative]

And their market position isn't as strong as it once was; the New York Times (link requires registration) reports that "Russia overtook Saudi Arabia in the month of February as the world's largest producer."

Here's where I have to credit the Bush Administration for their foresight. At times, Bush is "crazy like a fox." He foresaw trouble in the middle east, and worked a deal with the Russians to ratchet-up production to supplant Saudi Arabia. Russia has almost as vast an oil supply as Saudi Arabia. And they had the excess capacity to spare.

That deal was made some 8 months ago now. I only recently deleted the article from my hard drive, but I know that article is archived here somewhere on FR. Can someone help me find it? It'd be a great add to this thread....

[Tokhtamish]

Did not Seneca say, "Gratitude is not the greatest of virtues, but it is the source of all others." ?

[crystalk]

And that land is inherently worthless, the only reason it has ANY value is because of emotional attachment the Jews have based on history.

Once they have driven the last Jew out, the Arabs will emigrate from that stretch of land like it had the plague. Scarcely one will remain.

They will all come over to the USA, and in 20 years at their birth rate will outnumber us.

The Pallies are the shock troops of Araby to take over the entire earth, and DO NOT THINK I AM KIDDING.

[Andy from Beaverton]

They are already part way to taking over Europe with their new Ottoman Empire. First falls Bosnia and then Kosovo. Who's next? Macedonia? Bulgaria? They have begun to sew their seeds in every country in Europe that lets them in.

Every country with a birth rate over 12 is Muslim:

Albania
19.01 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Croatia
12.82 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Czech Republic
9.11 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Greece
9.83 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Iraq
34.64 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Iran
17.1 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Jordan
25.44 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Kuwait
21.91 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Russia
9.35 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Turkey
18.31 births/1,000 population ! (2001 est.)

Yugoslavia
12.61 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

[Light Speed]

Remember the Gulf war..how the Israeli's were handled to "Take the scud hits ".
Israel may have looked weak to the Arab states..but infact she was elevated in power exceedingly for cooperating.
Currently we find Israel routeing out terror..this has a time limit attached, and is part of the program.
When its time for Her to stop..She will.
Arafat and his kind will have to come to the table too soon.
Again..all part of the program.
The Palestinians will be forced to accept a State..many of their demands will not be met..such as "Right of return".
Israel will recieve many "Goodies" for cooperating...I suspect you will see Israeli F-22 Raptors in the skies once the aircraft begins production.
With the F-22 will come other goodies like Satillite JDAMS..other 21st century munitions.

A program to resolve the Arab/Israeli conflict has been in effect for some time now...Henry Kissinger revealed it decades ago..today we are seeing a stage of implementation.
Certainly ..the "Terrorism" is an aspect of "Reprocussion" from the Arab world..but it is not unforseen.
Even a full scale Mid-east war prior to "On final" was envisaged..and may still occur.
The article is correct on the Oil/Financial sceneraio...the Gulf States do not weild that much power..allot of it is peripherall..emotion..words.
In time..these responses will scale down..as the energy to rebell against the "New World Vision" peters out.
If a large full scale war is neeeded to break the Arab world..then folks..it was drawn up long ago...I suspect it has..and we will see it in our lifetime.

[crystalk]

And Palestinians, of course, a birth rate of about 90.

[etcetera]

Moshe Dayan

[2 cents]

From what I've been told by people in the know is the Muslim is encoraged to have as large family as they can. Especially in teh western countries where they have emigrated. Can anyone else support this thought?

[VOA]

Iraq
34.64 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Wow!
If practicable, could you give me citation for that figure (and the rest of the list)?
My thanks in advance.

If there is infant mortality in Iraq, it's more likely due to the Iraqis having
so many babies, not to the embargo!